Sugarloaf to open new Skyline Quad on Saturday, Dec. 17

CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine (December 13, 2011) – Following months of planning, construction, and testing, Sugarloaf will officially open its new Skyline chairlift to the public at 12pm on Saturday, December 17. The new lift was installed over the summer as part of the resort's ten-year development plan, called Sugarloaf 2020.

The resort will host a ribbon cutting ceremony at the base of the lift, and the first 100 riders on the new chair will receive a one-of-a-kind, commemorative Skyline t-shirt.

The official first four seats on the new lift were auctioned off over the summer, with the proceeds going to benefit four different local non-profit organizations: the Sugarloaf Charity Summit, the Western Maine Center for Children, the Sugarloaf Ski Club, and Carrabassett Valley Academy.

The new lift, which was manufactured and installed by Dopplemayr at a cost of roughly $3 million, is a state-of-the-art fixed-grip quad and follows the same path as the old Spillway East lift.

“This is great news for Sugarloafers everywhere,” said John Diller, Sugarloaf General Manager. “The new Skyline Quad provides greater uphill capacity for our guests, and its design will ensure reliable access to some of Sugarloaf’s most unique and storied terrain.”

The new quad features a conveyor loading system, which will improve the lift loading experience, reduce lift stoppage time, and allow the lift to run at speeds of up to 500 feet per minute, making it the fastest fixed-grip lift on the market. The new lift travels 3,746 feet, rises 1,457 vertical feet, features a total of 16 towers, and is powered by a 400 horsepower motor. An additional 400 horsepower Cummins Diesel engine serves as a backup.

Skyline was designed to be as wind-resistant as possible, with shorter towers, heavier chairs, and several hundred feet of wind-fencing.

The presence of this new, high-capacity quad is expected to rebalance the flow of uphill traffic on the mountain, thus reducing pressure on other lifts and decreasing lift lines across the mountain during peak times.